New York, NY — On Saturday, January 3, New Yorkers gathered in Times Square for an emergency protest against the United States’ military aggression against Venezuela.

In the early morning of January 3, the U.S. launched a large-scale attack against Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. This attack is the culmination of weeks of escalating aggression from the U.S. military in the area. The Trump administration has also announced that it has captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and has stated its intent to subject Maduro to a criminal trial in New York City.

Less than 12 hours after the attacks, the protest in Times Square drew a crowd of close to 1000 people, despite the bitter cold temperatures. Chants of “Hands off Venezuela!” and “Fund people’s needs, not the war machine!” were heard several blocks away.

Speakers at the rally included members of several anti-war and anti-imperialist organizations, including the ANSWER Coalition, the United National Anti-War Coalition, Palestinian Youth Movement, Nodutdol, and December 12th Movement.

The speeches condemned the U.S. attacks on Venezuela, called out the Trump administration’s lies, and pointed out the true motives for the imperialist assault: a greedy grab for Venezuelan natural resources, especially oil. Many speakers also drew parallels between the current imperialist actions in Venezuela and other struggles around the world, such as in Korea, Palestine, Iran and beyond.

After the speeches, the attendees marched a mile northward to Columbus Circle, taking the streets in a powerful demonstration of the people’s might. Cars and trucks along the route sounded their horns in solidarity. A contingent led by Freedom Road Socialist Organization marched in defiance with chants of “No more innocent blood for oil! U.S. off of foreign soil!” and “Viva, viva Venezuela! Lucha, lucha Venezuela!”

“The U.S. government can’t kidnap a president of a sovereign land and expect us to be quiet,” said Michela Martinazzi, a lead organizer with anti-war community group Brooklyn Against War. “Our tax dollars are funding genocide in Palestine and now the destabilization of Venezuela. President Maduro and his wife have been arrested and will be tried in New York City. It’s our duty to show them that we won’t stand for this. We stand with Venezuela!”

The Manhattan rally and march joined dozens of other protests across the U.S., showcasing that New Yorkers, and Americans as a whole, will not stand for another war for empire. The people stand against the lies of U.S. imperialism, and firmly in solidarity with the Bolivarian Revolution and the people of Venezuela.

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